so in this lesson we're going to look at the Nazi Soviet pact this was an alliance or a pact signed between Germany and the Soviet Union in N August of 1939 and it's quite surprising when you consider that Hitler was an extreme anti-communist so why did Stalin sign this non-aggression pact with Hitler well some of the reasons lie with Stalin's communist beliefs in the eyes of Stalin there was no particular difference between Fascism and the Western democracies in his eyes they were all evil capitalist powers and all potential enemies he believed as a communist the Communist Theory said that a World War was inevitably going to come the theory was that capitalist countries were greedy and aggressive and at some point inevitably they would go to war a World War fighting over markets and raw materials now if such a World War was coming and Stalin didn't see a particular difference between the fascists and the Western democracies he wanted to make sure that they didn't gang up together against Russia he wanted to make sure in any future conflict Russia would be on The Winning Side for Russia's advantage and he says as much in 1925 should such a war begin we will not be able to stand idly by we will have to take part but we will be the last to to take part so that we may throw the decisive weight on the scales a weight that should prove the determining Factor so essentially Stalin is saying there if this world conflicts happen we should wait a bit see which side is winning and join in on that side in January of 1934 Hitler has been chancellor of Germany for a year and he started his massive rearmament program so Stalin is looking towards Germany and and seeing this new power emerging and wondering about perhaps getting some sort of alliance with this new power he's looking at friendship with Germany he says in a speech he'll work with any country that doesn't directly threaten the USSR in 1934 though Hitler is not interested and rejects any proposals from the Soviet Union so next the USSR turns towards the League of Nations and collective security hoping this will provide some sort of safety for the USSR and in September of 1934 Russia joined the League of Nations now if you remember back when the league was formed Russia was not invited to join the League as the Western Powers Britain and France didn't like the the the the communism the Communist theories of the Russian government at this stage though in September of 1934 they are more worried about the rise of Germany so they gladly accept Russia into the League of Nations as a potential Ally against the rising threat from Germany the Soviet foreign minister at this time was Maxim linov and it was his initiative his idea to build links with Britain and France and through the League of Nations and hopefully then Britain France Russia would be able to stand together against any possible future German aggression something that really alarms that worries the USSR though is the Western policy Britain's policy France's policy of appeasement in Munich if you remember in 1938 the Allies basically dealt with Hitler gave him some of the things he wanted gave him the Sudan land and Russia was not invited to this conference Stalin became very suspicious of the motives of Britain and France they seemed to give Hitler things that he wanted and he was worried that they had a secret aim that Britain and France really wanted Nazi Germany to get involved in a war with the USSR and for those two powers to destroy each other because he knew that Britain and France didn't particularly like either of these Powers he actually says this in a speech Britain and France have rejected the idea of collective security and taken up a policy of non-intervention and neutrality the policy of non-aggression is a way of encouraging aggression Britain and France are encouraging the Germans to March East they are just saying to the Germans just start a war on the Bolsheviks and everything will be all right so makes that speech in March of 1939 very suspicious of Britain and France after appeasement it doesn't mean that the Soviets stop talking to the West though and Maxim linov he continues his efforts to get a a treaty established between Russia Britain and France and in Spring of 1939 it looks like Britain and France might be going to war with Hitler in April of that year of 1939 lenov proposes a treaty to Britain and France he lays out a proposal for a Britain a British French and Russian Alliance it however takes six weeks for a reply to come and Stalin gets the idea that the Western allies are not really serious about an alliance with Russia remember he's secretly worried that they want Germany to attack Russia anyway he dismissed Maxim linov who he was worried was too friendly with Western diplomats and appointed a new foreign minister called Molotov now Molotov then is sent secretly to Germany you can see Molotov talking to some German generals fought secret talks in May of 1939 it doesn't mean at this stage that the USSR is definitely going to sign some sort of agreement with Germany but they they're basically talking to both sides and seeing which which is going to give them the best offer in the interests of the USS are they do start making promises the Germans at this stage they're saying look if you're neutral because it's looking like Germany is going to attack Poland to get Danzig back if you're neutral um you could get more land in Eastern Europe if you if you if you're neutral in the future conflict they're still talking though Stalin is still talking to the Western Powers he does know that Hitler is a sworn enemy of Communism and in August of 1939 British French and Soviets meet in Leningrad to discuss hammering out a possible treaty now the Soviets ask well if we're going to fight Germany we're going to need to send our troops through Poland in order for them to get to Germany Poland is very much against this idea and the British and French say no you can't send your troops Soviet troops through Poland now vishv the leader of the Soviet delegation is very frustrated and annoyed by this are we supposed to beg for the right to fight our common enemy something else that annoys the Russians is that there are no senior ministers or top generals sent from Britain and France so none of the British and French delegates have the power to sign a treaty any agreement would have to be sent back to London sent back to Paris and and discussed there and talks break down on the 21st of August on the 20th of August Hitler said sends a letter directly to Stalin dear Stalin the tension between Germany and Poland has become intolerable a crisis May develop any day in my opinion it is desirable for our two countries to enter into a new relationship without losing any time I propose you receive my foreign minister in Moscow he will have the fullest power to sign the pact I should be glad to receive your early answer signed a Hitler the very next day Stalin replied Li to Hitler's offer I thank you for your letter I hope that the German Soviet non-aggression pact will Mark a decided turn for the better in the political relations between our two countries signed J Stalin so Hitler's letter is different from the West talks in Leningrad in a number of ways Hitler wrote a personal letter directly to Stalin this impressed Stylin that Hitler was serious about coming to some sort of agreement these are highlevel talks that Hitler is proposing he's not sending Junior officials with no power he's talking about sending the German foreign minister Von ribbon trop to Moscow and Von ribbentrop would have the full power to sign a treaty again unlike the British and French representatives there was also another attractive part of the offer for Stalin in it in the so-called secret protocol Stalin would gain a share of Poland and areas that Russia lost after World War I the Baltic states of Lithuania lvia and Estonia and the Ukraine so let's compare the two offers the British and French offer if Germany attacked Poland the USSR should join in with Britain and France in fighting Germany although it's difficult to see how us could do that as Soviet troops couldn't pass through Poland so it does mean that according to the British and French offer they're going to get involved in a war soon fighting in Germany if you compare that to the German offer the non-aggression paack Germany promised it wouldn't attack the USSR and so consequently there's no immediate Prospect of War now Britain and France do promise support if Germany attacks the USSR but there's no extra land for the USSR and the British and French offer if you compare that to the German offer again there's no immediate Prospect of War and the USSR gains Eastern Poland the Baltic states and the Ukraine so which of these two offers do you think looks more attractive to Stalin well Stalin chooses to go with the German offer in this picture you can see the German foreign minister in Moscow Von ribbon trop he is signing the non-aggression pact also called the molotov ribbon trop pact after the two foreign ministers behind ribbon trop you can see Stalin and next to Stalin the Soviet foreign minister Molotov so let's have a quick summary so why did Stalin sign a non-aggression pact agree not to fight with a person who essentially is obviously his enemy who says he hates communism well in Stalin's communist beliefs he doesn't see really much difference between fascist Germany and the other Western Powers they're all evil capitalists and they're all going to inevitably come to a war anyway so Stalin should simply choose the The Winning Side the policy of appeasement greatly worried Stalin he seemed to think that the Allies were giving hit the things that he wanted and encouraging him to turn East and to attack Stalin and the Soviet Union the British and French offer was very weak there was no gain of land in it for Stalin and Soviet troops wouldn't even be able to march through Poland the German offer on the other hand seemed very strong a direct letter from Hitler Von ribbon trop being sent out who could make a piece no immediate Prospect of War so they're not going to get involved in in a war soon and they also gain a lot of land Eastern Poland the Baltic states and the Ukraine so there you go that's some reasons why Stalin signed the Nazi Soviet Pact